Rein-holder



(No Model.)

A. ROSENTH'AL. REIN HOLDER No. 493,412. Patentd Mar.,14,.1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUST ROSENTHAL, OE MILWAUKEE, l/VISCONSIN.

RElN-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 493,412, dated March 14, 1893.

Application filed August 26,1892- Serial No. 444,161. (No'modeL) To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUST ROSENTHAL, of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Rein-Holders, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

My invention relates to a device that is adapted to be secured removably to the dash or dash-board of a carriage, wagon, sleigh or other vehicle, which device when so secured to a vehicle is adapted to receive and automatically clasp 0r clamp the reins of the harness and hold them temporarily and until released by extrinsic force applied thereto.

In the accompanying drawings ;Figure 1 is an elevation of the complete rein-holder. Fig. 2, is an end elevation of the same device in connection with a fragment of a carriage dash shown in section, to which the reinholder is attached, and fragments of reins showing the manner in which the reins are placed in the rein-holder to be grasped by it. Fig. 3, is a top plan view of the device shown in elevation, Figs. 1 and 2.

The complete device may be and ordinarily is constructed entirely of metal. The frame A, which may be of any suitable form, is conveniently constructed of a top piece B, and two depending legs 0 O, and across-bar D integral with the legs 0 O.

A releasable clamp, E, is provided for securing the device to the dash F. This clamp E has a fiat portion G, formed to fit and bear on the surface of the top piece B, and is socured releasably thereto by the nut-provided bolt, H, passing through the part G, and through the top piece B. The clamp E also has a downwardly curved arm I, which preferably terminates about opposite the lower extremities of the legs 0 O and is adapted to bear against the outer surface of the dash F and clamp the opposite parts of the reinholder firmly to the dashboard. This arm or part I, as will be seen in Figs. 1 and 3, is of considerable width laterally, so thatits lower edge and preferably its inner surface bear againsta considerable surface of the dash and thereby clamp the rein-holder securely to the dash. The clamp E is also provided with a rearwardly extending part, K, which has a surface downwardly inclined rearwardly, of such form as to be a suitable bearing surface to receive the reins thereon and against which they may be clasped by the swinging latch hereinafter described. This bearing surface is located in and obliquely to the arc of motion of the finger of said latch, so that the latch swinging forwardly moves toward and nearer and nearer to the bearing surface.

The swinging latch or clasp L, located at one side of the frame is pivoted at its lower end by means of an integral pin, M, in the lower extremities of the legs 0 O. The clasp L is provided with a finger, N, projecting at substantially a right angle to the body or arm part L of the clasp, which finger is located and arranged to swing parallel to the bearing surface of the part K. The extremity n of the finger N is curved outwardly opposite to the correspondingly reversely outwardly curved extremity 7c of the part K, whereby a flaring mouth is formed, adapted to receive and guide the reins as they are brought to and inserted between the finger N and the part K.

For automatically holding the clasp L, yieldingly up to its work, a spring, 0, is coiled about the pin M, one extremity of which spring runs up behind and bears against the cross-bar D, and the other extremity of which spring runs up in front of and bears against a lug, P, integral with the arm of the clasp L. The action of this spring is to throw the clasp L upwardly, and forwardly toward the part K and until the lug P strikes the leg 0, or when the reins are inserted in the device, to throw the clasp up over the partK until blocked by the reins inserted between the part K and the finger N whereby the reins are grasped and held firmly in the device.

For securing the clasp L against escaping from the frame A, an annular channel R, is formed on the pin M, preferably near its extremity, adapted to receive the surrounding parts of the leg 0 therein, which leg being preferably of malleable iron, is closed about the pin M in the channel B, after the pin has been inserted therein, whereby the pin and the clasp, of which it is a part, are not permitted to escape from the frame.

This rein-holder is secured to and made removable from the dash by loosening the nut on the bolt H, whereby the clamp E is released from its rigid position and is capable of being passed over the top of the dash.

The rein-holder being secured to the dash is used in the following manner:-'Ihe clasp L is swung rearwardly by the hand of the driver a little more than to the position shown in Fig. 2, and the reins S S, are slipped in between the part K and the finger N, and the clasp is released, the spring 0 throwing the finger N against the reins and clasping them to the part K. The surface of the part K, against which the reins bear, and the finger N, are so arranged with reference to each other that if there shall be any pull forwardly on the reins, the friction and bearing of the reins against the finger N and the part K, will tighten the grasp of the parts on the reins and thereby hold them more firmly than ever.

to bear yieldingly against the bearing part K, and a spring 0 coiled about the pivotpin M and adapted to hold the clasp L yieldingly up to the part K, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

AUGUST ROSENTHAL. Witnesses:

C. T. BENEDICT, C. H. KEENEY. 

